Defense Threat Reduction Agency Director James Tegnelia is being raked over the coals by an irate Nevada Congressional delegation who characterized his comments to Washington reporters about an upcoming conventional weapon test that he said would produce a “mushroom cloud over Las Vegas,” as “irresponsible and inflammatory” according to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) denounced Tegnelia on the House floor. She claimed the Nevada delegation was not briefed on the planned test explosion of a 700-ton conventional weapon. Administration officials say there was notification. A National Nuclear Security Administration spokesman told the Review-Journal that it is “highly unlikely” the blast will be felt in Las Vegas, but he did acknowledge that there would be a mushroom-type cloud of smoke.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
